A Christian life doesn’t just happen. There must be diligent effort. A warning often sounded in Scripture is “watch!” Be on guard. Watch against temptation. Guard the tongue, the thoughts. Take stock. Be diligent. Be strong and alert.
Solomon did not stay on guard. His heart-love for God slowly cooled. Tragedy followed.
If you wish to be stirred to a great watchfulness, then join me now in a survey of King Solomon’s life. Three terms will sketch it all for us: Blessings, Decline, Disaster. How sad!
- BLESSINGS
“King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth.” That is the beginning of our text. Open your Bible to it in First Kings 10:23. See God’s blessings to the young son of David.
Our text says God gave Solomon wisdom – so much that “The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart.” Verse 24. Now, this kind of wisdom was true wisdom – that deep reverence for God, putting the Almighty in His proper place and fitting all branches of knowledge to that.
I Kings 4:29-34 shows the amazing scope of this man’s wisdom that won the admiration of the entire civilized world. He wrote thousands of proverbs and songs, we are informed. How wonderful to have wisdom and insight from God!
Next, take stock of the king’s immense wealth, 10:26-27. Gold became so plentiful that silver was as stones!
Again reading our text verse 23, notice his name, Solomon. The word means “peaceable.” And peace settled on all the land like a quiet dew. Happy trade relations existed even with Egypt. Verses 28-29.
Who could have dreamed how it would all end?
II. DECLINE
Take a deep look at the roots of sin and failure that were growing in Solomon’s life. “Solomon loved many foreign women.” It is true that the full teachings of Christ regarding monogamy and adultery had not yet been given, but Solomon knew better than he practiced.
A hint as to how all this worked its way into the good king’s heart can be seen in studying his extensive building activities. In 3:1, we see him marrying the pagan Pharaoh’s daughter. He temporarily brings her into his city until he had made an end to constructing the temple and palace. Now, notice carefully. He next erects a special house for her, 7:8. She then moved out of the sacred city to this location, 9:24. Another text, II Chronicles 8:11, quotes Solomon as saying, “My wife must not live in the palace of David king of Israel, because the places the ark of the Lord has entered are holy.” He knew it was wrong to wed an unbeliever.
As he multiplied his wives and concubines, Solomon’s heart was turned away from God, 11:3. With the heart all else turns also. Upon what is your heart set?
Is it not hard to believe that the man who, in the book of Proverbs, gave so many warnings against evil connections with women, should himself be taken in that very snare?
Great evil arises in any life that is not watchful. This is true no matter what the person’s fine background may have been. David was Solomon’s father. See I Kings 11:6.
Even with great knowledge, terrible sin is possible. Perhaps a weak Christian is tempted to ask, “What hope is there then for me?” Friend, keep close to Jesus. “The Lord knows those who are his.” “Not one of them shall perish.”
Furthermore, great evil may come on the unwatchful regardless of how long they have been Christians. This all happened “as Solomon grew old,” 11:9. Temptations do not cease for any except for those who have already given in to Satan. The only fish Satan is not battling to land are those already in the boat and on his stringer!
III. DISASTER
Now, we must view the horrendous depths into which King Solomon slipped. He actually promoted the religions of Chemosh and Molech, 11:7, 8. Worship of these idols involved fiery sacrifice of babies!
God pronounces judgment against him, 9-13. Then things begin to go wrong. An old enemy returns from hiding in Egypt and strikes against the king in rebellion. Many have discovered old evils of the past were only underground for a while. Watch!
Waves of disaster continue to roll in even after Solomon’s death. His son rejects the wisdom of the elderly advisors and leads the entire kingdom into calamity. Civil war and division follow. Evil spreads north and south.
The reign of Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, is pictured in 14:32-31. What a black picture! Twice it states, “His mother’s name was Naamah an Ammonitess.” Thus, the accusing finger points back to Solomon and one of his pagan wives who mothered this son.
In his days of youthful love for God, King Solomon had grown lax in his concern and watchfulness against sin. Foreign loves grew unchecked, and his heart went into decline.
Before we close, look at the interesting verse, 11:9. God is here angry because the king drifts away into evil despite the fact that God “had appeared to him twice.”
But how often has God spoken to us – and not just in a fading vision! Get alone with God in prayer and study carefully John 14:21 and 16:7-15. Surely, there is no reason for a believer today to decline from God.
Right now set your heart to seek Him in a new way with open Bible and watchful heart.